Well, I'm still rather shocked at that set of stats re: Cuba and Haiti. How is it that a leftist revolution in the latter, under constant unrelented pressure from the Empire 90 miles away (see, "The Cuban Counter-Revolution, " one of the books I cited in this thread or any of the books from Ocean Press like, "The Cuban Exile Movement.") but, the recipient of billions in aid from the fSU, and until recently discounted oil from Chavez' Venezuela, has, yes, admittedly impressive social indicators, but, doubtless has squandered billions in hare brained schemes akin to mao's fantasy of backyard steel furnaces in the Great Leap Forward? Haiti, even though it finally, had a modicum of democracy restored until Aristide, as the price of his restoral had to submit to onerous IMF conditionalities. I know that gross stats, looked at w/o an understanding of social structure, ideology and culture, is a crude indicator, but, until someone with some expertise i don't have unpacks those stats, Joanna, I'll in your words be obscenity purveyor. Even though the #'ers should give pause to all. M.P.